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Huge Bee on Winter Clematis "Freckles"
WeaveyDavey
Posts: 575
I know it's been very mild until recently, but surely this fellow is in a 'hurry' to get late benefit from the nectaries on the clematis blooms?
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Lovely pics - fabulous when you zoom in on them
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
That'll probably be a queen building up her reserves before hibernating. Excellent photos!
Thanks for your kind comments, Dove and Bob! My wife and I have (independenty) seen this particular bee several times over the last few weeks - she's generally paying special attention to the (still) flowering begonias and adjacent fuchsias - but ignoring pelargoniums and hebe [just coming into flower]. More news anon.
Hi David
If you have December copy of GW, go to page 94. Brilliant article on Bumblebees
funny enough had one few days back on mahonia
That Bee really does seem to be arriving close to the cold weather. Good photograph.
I should soon be getting a kit from The Bee Cause (Friends Of The Earth) that will come with a Bee identification guide so should be good for spring when the Bees return.
iften see them in February looking for nests too so dont sleep long
Thanks for your kind comment, WildlifeG123. I've yet to 'delve' into my December GW as I've been gardening (thinning shrubberies & pruning roses, reglazing greenhouse etc) up in the Midlands for a week or so - will definitely look out for the Bumblebees article, cheers, Mark 1963!
http://bumblebeeconservation.org/
Worth a look. I signed up for their newsletter last year, lots of articles to read
In the sticks near Peterborough
I have a clematis Freckles by my kitchen window wich is visited by a large bumble all winter .We saw a bumblebee in all weathers last winter too. the clematis flowers from november to march each year.